The field of the invention relates generally to drum pedals, and more particularly to substantially frictionless drum pedals.
Drummers rely upon drum pedals for striking a bass drum. In order to facilitate the playing of a bass drum, it is important that the drum pedals have good overall performance, including adequate response and reaction time. Over the years, drum pedals have been under continuous development, for improving the response of the pedals, the reaction time, and the overall feel of the drum pedal to the drummer himself, for maximizing the performance of the drummer in playing bass drums. The present inventor recognized that it is important to minimize the frictional engagement of the moving parts of a drum pedal, in order to enhance or improve the performance of the drum pedal.
It is a major object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method to achieve improvements as referred to, and as are disclosed herein. Basically the invention is embodied in an improved drum pedal unit having:
a) a base plate,
b) a foot board having first and second ends,
c) a hinge connected between the base plate and a first end of said foot board for permitting rotation thereof,
d) first and second rod-like towers or pedestals, each mounted at one end, respectively, to the base plate, with their other respective ends being free,
e) a shaft mounted to project between the opposing upper portions of the first and second towers.
In such a pedal unit, the invention provides:
f) a spool-like hub mounted for axial rotation on a central portion of the shaft, whereby said hub can rotate independent of rotation of the shaft, and if during such rotation the hub at some point frictionally engages said shaft, said shaft rotates with said hub,
g) rotating means including a flexible connector connected between a second end of the foot board and an outer portion of the hub, for causing the hub to rotate relative to the foot board upon depression of the foot board,
h) a beater stem having a first end secured to an outer portion of the hub, and a second end,
i) a beater secured to the second end of said beater stem, and
j) spring means for spring biasing the hub in a rest position of the bass drum pedal, for retaining the second end of the foot board in an elevated position relative to the base plate, and the beater a predetermined distance away from a drum head of an associated drum, whereby upon depression of the foot board the second end thereof is rotated toward the base plate causing the rotating means to rotate the hub in a direction for moving said beater into contact with the drum head of the associated drum.
Additional objects include: provision of a second tower spaced from the one tower, the spring means located between the towers; provision of the spring means in the form of a tension spring having one end thereof pivotally connected to the hub; provision of a pivotal connection between the opposite end of the spring and one of the towers; provision of the flexible connector in the form of a belt having one end portion wrapping partially about said hub; provision of a ball bearing unit mounting the hub for rotation on the axle; provision of a pivotal connection between the hub and the tower, whereby the spring has said one end thereof pivotally connected to the hub; and wherein the flexible connector defines an upright plane, the spring pivotal connection located at one side of that plane, and said beater stem located at the opposite side of that plane.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: